“Chorizo de Bilbao” at iba pa..

When  we  were  young,  we learned  about  the Philippine  history,  culture,  social life, etc.    We were  also  made  to  believe  about  some  things  that  in reality  were  inexistent.   But  since  we  were  still young,  such  information  got  stuck in our  mind  and  they  were just  accepted  as  how  we learned  them  to  be.    All  the while,  we  were growing up with  all  those  pieces  of  information  and  we didn’t  bother ourselves  as  to  their  authentic  truth  or   origin.   Well,  we  did not  enjoy the benefit  of the Internet  then,  so that  information  was  less  available  before  as  it  is  right  now.  

Take for instance the title of this post – Chorizo de Bilbao -.  As  far  as what we  learned  before, that  Chorizo de Bilbao  is  a type  of  sausage that comes  from Bilbao,  Spain.  In reality, there is no such Chorizo de Bilbao in  Spain!.    Filipinos living here in Spain,  know this  full well.   It is  almost the first thing  a Filipino would  ask  for  upon  setting  his  foot in  Spain. Well, we have to admit,  that Chorizo de Bilbao sold in the Philippines  really tasted  good.  There is no denying about  that.   But where  did  that  chorizo come  from, if it  did not originate from  Spain?  I’ve  searched  the Internet  and  what you get are  recipes  on how to make  Chorizo de Bilbao.   And  the closest  opinion to the truth comes  from  Wikipedia  that  “it  was  a  Filipino invention which variant  cannot  be  found in Spain”.   So  case  closed.  Do not  believe  that  Chorizo de Bilbao  is  imported  from Spain.  There  is no such “chorizo”  in  Spain,  although there  is  a  city called Bilbao  in  the northern  part ofSpain. 

 

Next  point   to pounder  on: –  Manton de Manila.  That  elegant looking  shawl, made of  fine  silk  and embroidered  with  different  designs  of flowers,  etc., and  not to mention  the  variant colours.  It’s  an indispensable  clothing  of  the Spanish women whenever a  town fiesta  is held,  because  it  is  elegant in  style,  classy  and  a  useful  alternative  to  a  jacket specially  when the  weather  is  cool.   But  where is the  origin of  Manton de  Manila?   It  was  actually  made  in China.   So  history  says  that  when the Galleon  trade was  started in 1565, the route  from Manila  to Mexico was  discovered  by Andres de Urdaneta.   The  route passed the  northern Pacific  to the California coast and then  down to Acapulco  in Mexico.  The  Spanish  king  then allowed the Filipinos  to  trade with  Chinese in Canton.  They  brought silks,  ivory, furniture, porcelain, spices from Canton.  The Galleon went to Acapulco once or  twice  a year through  that  route.  One  of the  items  that came  from Canton  to Manila  was  the silk  shawl.   It  was  a square piece of cloth with a lot  of embroidery.   It  was  folded  half  like a  triangle and  was worn over the shoulders  of  women.   The  shawl became known  as Manton de Manila, although it was not made in Manila, but was made in Canton. The Philippines never had a silk industry. The manton de Manila soon became very popular in  Seville,    Andalucia and in  Latin America.

This  piece of history  would  tell us  therefore,  that  although  the  Manton  never  originated  from  Manila,  it  has  made  a  name  for  Manila,  and  Manila  should  be  proud  of  being   attributed  that  piece of  cloth  that  gives  elegance  and  beauty  to a  lot  of women  in Spain and elsewhere in the world.

 FEEL FREE TO LEAVE YOUR  COMMENTS…..Eric